Digging deeper for Gulf oil

Published: Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at 9:35 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at 9:35 a.m.

The prospect of deepwater oil exploration is nothing new. The oil-and-gas industry has known for years that deepwater drilling — made possible by new technology — represented its best hope for continued activity in the Gulf of Mexico.

That hope got brighter last week with the announcement from BP that it had discovered a new deposit in the Gulf that could hold 4 billion to 6 billion barrels of oil.

The Tiber deposit, several hundred miles from here, represents a shot in the arm for a domestic oil industry that many have nervously watched in recent months.

While it won’t be a singular savior of the industry, it does give local workers and companies a reason to think that their futures could be a bit more promising.

Deepwater wells are incredibly expensive to drill and keep running, primarily due to the temperatures and pressures at those depths, which can reach about seven miles. But they also hold promise for continuing America’s energy stream, part of what could eventually make us a bit less dependent on foreign oil.

So the announcement that another huge find is under exploration comes as welcome news.

As the oil industry becomes more focused on deepwater exploration, the jobs will become more heavily dependent on highly trained workers. These discoveries will fuel many jobs by these discoveries, but the community must make sure it is doing all it can to train a well-qualified workforce that is ready to perform the skills that will be increasingly necessary.

Gulf exploration, as almost everyone knows, means incredible opportunity for employment at high-paying jobs, and it means a real possibility for economic development if our community can fully capitalize on the needs that will exist.

The domestic oil industry is expected by many to suffer because companies view taxes suggested by the Obama administration as a disincentive to exploration.

But the news from BP is significantly more upbeat, signaling the region’s future in the offshore oilfield, even if the oilfield moves farther out to sea.

Making the most of it will require a continuance and expansion of vocational and technical training in skills that will continue to change and evolve. Even people already in the oilfield might find themselves at a loss for the training they will need.

Our community has done this before, and there is every reason to believe that we can continue to benefit by helping to bring the oil and gas the U.S. needs from the Gulf of Mexico to the pipelines that take it throughout the nation.

Editorials represent the opinions of the newspaper, not of any individual.

<p>The prospect of deepwater oil exploration is nothing new. The oil-and-gas industry has known for years that deepwater drilling — made possible by new technology — represented its best hope for continued activity in the Gulf of Mexico.</p><p>That hope got brighter last week with the announcement from BP that it had discovered a new deposit in the Gulf that could hold 4 billion to 6 billion barrels of oil.</p><p>The Tiber deposit, several hundred miles from here, represents a shot in the arm for a domestic oil industry that many have nervously watched in recent months.</p><p>While it won't be a singular savior of the industry, it does give local workers and companies a reason to think that their futures could be a bit more promising.</p><p>Deepwater wells are incredibly expensive to drill and keep running, primarily due to the temperatures and pressures at those depths, which can reach about seven miles. But they also hold promise for continuing America's energy stream, part of what could eventually make us a bit less dependent on foreign oil.</p><p>So the announcement that another huge find is under exploration comes as welcome news.</p><p>As the oil industry becomes more focused on deepwater exploration, the jobs will become more heavily dependent on highly trained workers. These discoveries will fuel many jobs by these discoveries, but the community must make sure it is doing all it can to train a well-qualified workforce that is ready to perform the skills that will be increasingly necessary.</p><p>Gulf exploration, as almost everyone knows, means incredible opportunity for employment at high-paying jobs, and it means a real possibility for economic development if our community can fully capitalize on the needs that will exist.</p><p>The domestic oil industry is expected by many to suffer because companies view taxes suggested by the Obama administration as a disincentive to exploration.</p><p>But the news from BP is significantly more upbeat, signaling the region's future in the offshore oilfield, even if the oilfield moves farther out to sea.</p><p>Making the most of it will require a continuance and expansion of vocational and technical training in skills that will continue to change and evolve. Even people already in the oilfield might find themselves at a loss for the training they will need.</p><p>Our community has done this before, and there is every reason to believe that we can continue to benefit by helping to bring the oil and gas the U.S. needs from the Gulf of Mexico to the pipelines that take it throughout the nation.</p><p>Editorials represent the opinions of the newspaper, not of any individual.</p>